this is one of the amazing flats i came to before ascending above the tree line. unfortunately my camera display screen was crunched against a boulder soon after this. i wish i could show y'all what awaited me above this point. but yeah, i was very near the snow line at the base of mt. cook with thundering waterfalls everywhere. i stayed at a backcountry hut for two nights after i found myself trapped as the rivers swelled from an all night rain and became uncrossable. actually, a great place to be "trapped" if you ask me. i didn't see anyone else for two days! only problem is that i ran out of food, so once the waters finally calmed, i had to literally run the 28 km track and then hitch a 100 km ride back to civilization and food.

there were more and more of these signs after a while.

walking up the valley into the misty mountains.

the start of the copland trail - the best track i have ever been on.

boulders on the south east coast near dunedin.